Kneeling rail for church pews



Dec. 27, 1966 J M JR 3,294,448

KNEELING RAIL FOR CHURCH PEWS Filed June 21, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 iizvezal or. fidcp/Z Pap ma, J

Dec. 2'7, 196 J. PALMA, JR 3,294,448

KNEELING RAIL FOR CHURCH PEWS Filed June 21, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J5z0efarr Jsgv Pa/M,

United States Patent 01 3,294,443 KNEELING RAIL F011 CHURCH PEWS Ioseph Palma, In, O-North 487 Willow Road, Wheaten, Ill. 60187 Filed June 21, 1965, Ser. No. 465,424 13 Claims. (Q1. 2 7426) This invention relates to a kneeler for church pews and more particularly to a pivotally mounted kneeler which has a kneeling rail that is cantilever-supported in the lowered position.

Although kneeling rails are frequently pi'vota-lly mounted so that they can be elevated for enabling the floor thereunder to be cleaned, they are generally kept in the lowered position throughout church services. In lowered position the legs for kneeling rails generally extend from under the surfaces of the rails to the floor. In lowered position kneeling rails interfere with themovement of worshipers between the rows of pews. Anyone walking between the pews may trip over such legs.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a kneeling rail that eliminates floor engaging legs and provides a free area under the rail. It is a further object of the invention to provide a kneeling rail that is supported in lowered position. It is another object of the invention to provide a kneeling rail that is readily pivoted and conveniently supported in raised and lowered positions. It is still another object of the invention to provide a kneeling rail that is convenient to manufacture and pleasing in appearance. With these and various other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and operation as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claims appended hereto. In the drawings;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a church pew and kneeler of the present invention showing the kneeling rail in lowered position;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the church pew and kneeler shown in FIG. 1; partly broken away to illustrate the interior of the base member;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the church pew and kneeler shown in FIG. 1 with the kneeling rail in elevated position;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the kneeler partly in section taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the kneeler shown in FIG. 3 with the kneeling rail in elevated position;

FIG. 6 is an end view of a modified form of kneeler with the kneeling rail in lowered position; and

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the modified form of kneeler partly in section taken substantially along line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 5, there is illustrated a church pew 10 supported on a pedestal 11. Secured to the pedestal is a base member 12. The base member 12 in FIGS. l-S is integral with pedestal 11. The base member 12 projects along and rests upon the floor rearwardly from the pedestal 11.

As best shown in FIG. 1, the base member 12 comprises two spaced plates 14 and 15. The plates are spaced apart a distance sufficient to accommodate the swinging movements of the leg 20.

Leg 211 is pivoted about a pivot pin'21, that extends between plates 14 and 15. The legs 20 are formed of bent stock having an inner portion 22 and an outer portion 23 at an obtuse angle relative to each other so that the leg portion 23 is in a generally horizontal plane when the leg 20 is in lowered position. The pivot 21 permits the leg members to swing between an elevated position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and in lowered position illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3.

3,294,413 Patented Dec. 27, 1966 It will be noted that the plates 14, extend rearwardly from pedestal 11 a distance sutlicient to accommodate the inner portion 22 when leg is in the elevated position as shown in FIG. 5.

As best seen in FIG. 1, a church pew 10 is provided with a pedestal 11 spaced from base pedestal 11. Pedestal 11' is provided with a base member and the base member 12 on which a leg member 20' is pivoted about a pivot 21' substantially the same as the structure heretofore described. It may be desirable that pedestal 11 also supports another bench on the opposite side and also has another kneeling rail. In such a construction, the base member may accommodate another leg.

Mounted on the leg members 20, 2 5i is a kneeling rail 31 The kneeling rail 30 is secured to the top portion 23 of leg 20 and top portion 23' of leg 29' when the leg members are in the lowered position illustrated in FIG. 1. The kneeling rail may be provided with suitable cushions. One type of cushion 31 is illustrated in the drawings. It will be understood, however, that various cushion designs may be employed.

The kneeler is cantilever-supported in lowered position. As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a supporting member 40 connected to the base member 12 engages the inner portion 22 when the leg member 29 is in the lowered position. The supporting member 40 is located in the path of the inner portion 22 as it is pivoted clockwise about pin 21 to the lowered position. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the supporting member 41) is connected between the plates 14 and 15 outside of the pivot 21. The supporting member contacts the inner end of the leg member 20 between the pivot 21 and the kneeling rail 30 and preferably only for a short distance above the pivot 21.

When the kneeler is pivoted to the elevated position, it rests against a supporting structure, which as illustrated in FIG. 5, is located on the rear wall 16 of pedestal 11. Other forms of supporting structure for the kneeler in the elevated position, however, may be used.

From the foregoing it is believed that operation of the kneeler of the invention is readily apparent. The kneeling rail 30 in the lowered position is cantilever-supported on legs 20, 20' that rest against supporting members 40, 40'. Supporting members 40, 40' are secured to base 12. The cantilever-support eliminates the necessity for legs under the kneeling rail. It also affords an unobstructed area beneath the kneeling rail 31 The kneeler is pivoted at 21, 21', so that it may be moved to the elevated position illustrated in FIG. 5. In elevated position the kneeling rail swings past dead center above pivots 21, 21', and rests by its own weight against the back wall 16 of pedestal 11.

In the modification shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the base member 112 is formed with a yoke 177, 118 adapted to fit on the sides of a pedestal 111. The yoke is secured to the pedestal by screws 109 and the like. The advantage of the kneeler shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is that it may be secured to many different types of church pew pedestals. The base member, leg member, pivot, and the remaining parts of the kneeler are identical to that heretofore disclosed and described in FIGS. 1 through 5 hereinabove. Leg 120, pivoted at 121, supports a kneeling rail 13%) in lowered position by a cantileversupport on member 140. Pivot 121 extends between plates 114, of base 112.

While I have described more or less precisely the method employed and the apparatus used therewith, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I contemplate changes in form and the proportion of parts and the substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a kneeler for church pews the combination comprising, leg members pivotable between raised and lowered positions, said leg members having inner and outer end portions, said inner portion at an angle to and extending below said outer portion of said leg members, pivot means at the extremity of the inner end portions of said leg members, a kneeling rail secured to the outer end portions of said leg members, and cantilever-support means for engaging the inner portion of the angle of said leg members in lowered position including rigid members spaced outwardly from said pivot means and below the inner end portions of said leg members when the latter are in lowered position.

2. In a kneeler for church pews the combination comprising, obtuse angled leg members pivotable between raised and lowered positions, pivot means at the extremity of the inner end portions of said leg members, a kneeling rail secured to said leg members, and cantileversupport means for said leg members in lowered position including rigid supporting members positioned for engaging and supporting said leg members inside said angle and at an area spaced outwardly from said pivot means and in the plane in which said leg members move to the said lowered position.

3. In a kneeler for church pews the combination comprising, a base member associated with the pedestals of church pews, said base member having spaced plates, leg members pivotable between said spaced plates to raised and lowered positions, pivot means in said base members for pivotally securing the inner end portions of said leg members, a kneeling rail secured to said leg members, and cantilever-support means for said leg members in lowered position including rigid supporting members spaced outwardly from said pivot means and projecting across said spaced plates of said base members into the path of said leg members when pivoted to the lowered position.

4. In a kneeler for church pews the combination comprising, pedestals for the church pews, leg members pivotable between raised and lowered positions, said leg members curved to form an obtuse angle pivot means at the extremity of the inner ends of said leg members, a kneeling rail secured to said leg members, and cantileversupport means for said leg members in lowered position including rigid supporting members positioned opposite side of and spaced from said pivot means from said pedestals for engaging and supporting said leg members inside said angle.

5. In a kneeler for church pews the combination comprising, at least one pair of spaced leg members for swinging movements between a lowered position and a raised position, said leg members formed with an inner portion and outer portion at obtuse angles with respect to each other, pivot means for connecting the extremity of said inner portions of said leg members to a base member, a kneeling rail secured to said outer portion of said leg members, and means for maintaining said leg members in a cantilevered position including rigid supporting members outside of and spaced from said pivot means for engaging and supporting said leg members inside said angle in the lowered position.

6. In a kneeler for church pews the combination comprising, at least one pair of base members adapted to be associated with spaced pedestal members of a church pew, at least one pair of spaced leg members for swinging movements between a lowered position and a raised position, said leg members formed with an inner portion and outer portion at obtuse angles with respect to each other, pivot members connecting the extremity of said inner portions of said leg members to said base members, kneeling rail secured to said outer portion of said leg members, and rigid supporting members connected to said base members inside said angle for engaging and supporting said leg members in the lowered position, said rigid supporting members spaced from said pivot means.

7. In a kneeler for church pews the combination COlTlprising, at least one pair of base members to be associated with spaced pedestal members of a church pew, at least one pair of spaced leg members for swinging movements between a lowered position and a raised position, said leg members having an inner portion and outer portion at obtuse angles with respect to each other, pivot means connecting the extremity of said inner portions of said leg members to said base members, a kneeling rail secured to said outer portions of said leg members, and rigid supporting members connected to said base members projecting above and spaced outwardly from said pivot means for engaging and supporting said leg members inside said angle in the lowered position by a cantilever-support.

8. In a kneeler for church pews the combination comprising, at least one pair of base members to be associated with spaced pedestal members of a church pew, at least one pair of spaced leg members for swinging movements between a lowered position and a raised position, said leg members having an inner portion and outer portion at obtuse angles with respect to each other, pivot means connecting the extremity of said inner portions of said leg members to said base members, a kneeling rail secured to said outer portions of said leg members, and rigid supporting members for engaging and supporting said leg members in the lowered position, said supporting members positioned and projecting upwardly to a point above and spaced outside of said pivot means.

9. In a kneeler for church pews the combination comprising, at least one pair of base members adapted to be associated with spaced pedestal members of a church pew, at least one pair of spaced leg members for swinging movements between a lowered position and a raised position, said leg members formed with an inner portion and outer portion at obtuse angles with respect to each other, pivot members connecting the extremity of said inner portions of said leg members to said base members, a kneeling rail secured to said outer portion of said leg members, fixed supporting members secured to said base members for engaging and supporting said leg members in the lowered position, said supporting members connected to said base members and projecting upwardly above and spaced outside of said pivot means.

10. In a kneeler for church pews the combination comprising, spaced pedestal members for supporting a church pew, at least one pair of base members adapted to be associated with said pedestal members, said base members having spaced walls, at least one pair of spaced leg members for swinging movements between said walls to a lowered position and a raised position, pivot means connecting the extremity of said inner portions of said leg members to said base members, a kneeling rail secured to said outer portion of said leg members, and supporting members immovably secured between said walls of said base members for engaging and supporting said leg members in the lowered position, said supporting mem bers positioned on the opposite side of said pivot means from said pedestal members, and spaced from said pivot means.

11. In a kneeler for church pews the combination comprising, spaced pedestal members for a church pew, at least one pair of base members connected to said spaced pedestal members, said base members having spaced walls, at least one pair of spaced leg members for swinging movements between a lowered position and a raised position, said leg members formed with an inner portion and outer portion at obtuse angles with respect to each other, pivot members connecting the extremity of said inner portions of said leg members to said base members, a kneeling rail secured to said outer portion of said leg members, and fixed supporting members connected between the walls of said base members for engaging and supporting said leg members in the lowered position, at a position spaced outwardly from and above said pivot members.

12. In a kneeler for church pews the combination comprising, leg members curved to an obtuse angle pivotable for movements between raised and lowered positions, pivot means at the extremity of the inner end of said leg members, a kneeling rail secured to said leg members, and cantilever-support means including fixed supporting members rigidly positioned for engaging and supporting said leg members inside the angle at an area located outside of and spaced from said pivot means,

and means for supporting the kneeler in raised position 10 located on the opposite side of said pivot means from said support members.

13. In a kneeler for church pews the combination comprising, spaced base members for association with a church pew, leg members curved to an obtuse angle pivotable between raised and lowered positions, pivot means at the extremity of the inner end of said leg members connected to said base members, a kneeling rail secured to said leg members, and cantilever-support means for said leg members in lowered position including fixed supporting members positioned for engaging and supporting said leg members inside the angle at an area between said pivot means and said kneeling rail, said supporting members projecting from said base members into the plane in which said leg members pivot.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 622,647 4/1899 Davis 297-331 1,443,942 2/ 1923 Avery 297331 2,712,149 7/1955 Harms 16l35 2,728,380 12/ 1955 Powers 297-426 2,856,629 10/1958 Vose 16-135 2,892,488 6/1959 Frost 297-426 3,015,521 1/1962 Hayden et al. 297-426 3,179,214 4/1965 Hilfiker 16135 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

2 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Examiner. 

1. IN A KNEELER FOR CHURCH PEWS THE COMBINATION COMPRISING, LEG MEMBERS PIVOTABLE BETWEEN RAISED AND LOWERED POSITIONS, SAID LEG MEMBERS HAWVING INNER AND OUTER END PORTIONS, SAID INNER PORTION AT AN ANGLE TO AND EXTENDING BELOW SAID OUTER PORTION OF SAID LEG MEMBERS, PIVOT MEANS AT THE EXTREMITY OF THE INNER END PORTIONS OF SAID LEG MEMBERS, A KNEELING RAIL SECURED TO THE OUTER END PORTIONS OF SAID LEG MEMBERS, AND CANTILEVER-SUPPORTED MEANS FOR ENGAGING THE INNER PORTION OF THE ANGLE OF SAID LEG MEMBERS IN LOWERED POSITION INCLUDING RIGID MEMBERS SPACED OUTWARDLY FROM SAID PIVOT MEANS AND BELOW THE INNER END PORTIONS OF THE LEG MEMBERS WHEN THE LATTER ARE IN LOWERED POSITION. 